Sep 19, 2026 11:45am IST
‘Daayra’ vs ‘Vibe’ Box Office: Kunal Kemmu’s Film Opens Ahead of Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Thriller On Day One
Kunal Kemmu’s "Vibe" has opened ahead of Meghna Gulzar’s "Daayra" at the Indian box office. According to Sacnilk, "Vibe" collected ₹1.50 crore net on its opening day, while "Daayra" earned ₹90 lakh net on Friday, September 18.
"Vibe" recorded an overall occupancy of 13.38% across 3,194 shows on Day 1. The film began with around 6% occupancy in morning shows, which rose to 11.31% in the afternoon before reaching approximately 14% in the evening.
"Daayra", meanwhile, recorded an overall Hindi occupancy of 11.65% across 2,238 shows. The film’s Day 1 India net stood at ₹90 lakh.
Related Stories
The ₹60 lakh gap puts "Vibe" ahead on opening day, although both films have started on relatively subdued numbers. The Friday trajectory was stronger for "Vibe", with audience turnout building through the day, while "Daayra" remained below the ₹1 crore mark.
The two films are also entering a theatrical market where established releases continue to occupy screens and draw audiences. "Mirzapur: The Movie", which entered its third week on Friday, collected ₹2.75 crore net on Day 15, taking its India net total to ₹206.20 crore, according to Sacnilk. The film also recorded 20.29% overall occupancy for its Hindi version on Friday.
"Hanuman Ansh" is another holdover continuing to generate significant business. The film has completed 44 days in theatres and stands at ₹293.40 crore net in India.
For "Vibe", the film’s opening comes after Kunal Kemmu’s "Madgaon Express", which also found momentum through audience response after its initial theatrical run. Trade voices have pointed to the possibility of "Vibe" gaining traction if its audience response translates into stronger weekend collections.
"Vibe" marks Kemmu’s second directorial after "Madgaon Express" and stars him alongside Preity Zinta, Sparsh Shrivastava and Vanshika Dhir. The film is positioned as a comedy drama with action elements.
"Daayra", meanwhile, brings Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran together under Meghna Gulzar’s direction. The film is a thriller centred on police officers and a case involving a rape and murder, with the story exploring the consequences of a controversial encounter.
The opening-day gap between the two releases is now set to be tested over the weekend. With "Mirzapur: The Movie" and "Hanuman Ansh" continuing to command audience attention and screen space, Saturday and Sunday collections will determine how strongly "Vibe" and "Daayra" can build on their respective starts.
Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.